Factors Associated with Stigma Among Parents of Children with Autism Spectrum Disability in Vietnam.

Parents of children with autism spectrum disability frequently encounter significant stigma. There has not been any research identifying all three types of stigma -perceived, self, and enacted-, especially none involving Vietnamese parents, nor exploring the experience of stigma due to language and cultural differences. This cross-sectional descriptive study aimed to identify factors associated with stigma among parents of children with autism spectrum disorder in Hanoi, Vietnam. Using a stratified sampling method, the study collected data from 846 parents at the National Children's Hospital and five special education centers for children with disabilities in Hanoi between February and October 2023 through structured self-administered questionnaires. The study identified several factors that influence the three types of stigma experienced by parents of children with ASD. Among parent-related factors, hours of sleep and marital status were significantly linked to all three stigma types, while parental age and economic status affected one or two types of stigma. Child-related factors such as age, disability duration, and disability levels were associated with all three stigma types, whereas health insurance schooling and gender were linked to one or two types. Additionally, distressed behaviours, social support, and caregiver burden were significant predictors of all three types of stigma, with caregiver burden emerging as the strongest predictor overall (β = 0.34, 0.42 and 0.31 respectively, p < 0.001). This study can assist in identifying populations at risk and suggests that healthcare professionals should provide effective personalized care and early interventions to reduce stigma for parents of children with ASD.